Australia in South Africa

Veteran batsman Daryll Cullinan has declined to play for South Africa in the second Test against Australia following a contract dispute.

The decision came just 24 hours after 35-year-old Cullinan was included in the Test side for the first time since April last year.

He will be replaced by uncapped Western Province batsman Graeme Smith, who was 12th man for the first Test in Johannesburg.

As a non-contracted player, Cullinan was set to receive a standard Test match fee for the game in Cape Town.

But he instead asked the UCB for a 12-month contract.

"The UCB policy states that a player can be offered a contract in the middle of the season after he has played two Test matches or six one-day internationals in that season. Daryll does not fit those criteria," said chief executive Gerald Majola.

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South African cricket captain Shaun Pollock has withdrawn from the second Test against Australia.

It was the second blow suffered by the South Africans as batsman Daryll Cullinan had pulled out of the match, which starts on Friday, over a pay row.

Pollock joined the side for practice in Cape Town, but a side strain injury has not improved sufficiently for him to play.

Team physiotherapist Craig Smith said: "Shaun has not recovered to a point where he could bowl at full pace or for a sustained period.

"Shaun had a scan on Monday which showed he hasn't healed enough and he tried to bowl in the nets this afternoon, but he still felt it.

England in New Zealand

The MCC is considering a possible change to the laws of the game in the wake of England's controversial leg side bowling tactics during the pre-Christmas series in India.

The strategy was employed by skipper Nasser Hussain in an attempt to combat India's star batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

It prompted former Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar to condemn England as "boring".

And the International Cricket Council has now asked the MCC to look at ways of tightening the laws governing wides.

MCC president Ted Dexter, a former England skipper, believes it was a case of "pushing the laws to their limit".

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England vice-captain and opening batsman Marcus Trescothick is expected to be rested for England's final warm-up match in New Zealand before the onset of the Test series.

But apart from the absence of the left-handed Somerset opener, the tourists will play the side they hope to put out for the first Test at Jade Stadium, Christchurch, on 13 March.

The England team have just arrived back in Christchurch, where they lost the first one-day international of the series.

They know that a similarly slow start will be disastrous in terms of their ambitions to finish a long winter's touring with a series win.

Trescothick said: "I've been feeling tired and sometimes the best thing is to have a complete rest."

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Wicket-keeper Adam Parore looks set to keep his place in New Zealand's Test team after satisfying officials of his full commitment to playing against England.

Parore announced he was taking a complete break from the game after being left out of the side for the one-day series against England.

Chairman of selectors Sir Richard Hadlee indicated, however, that Parore must play provincial cricket to be considered for the Test side.

But the 30-year-old met Hadlee and New Zealand Cricket chief Martin Snedden in Christchurch on Tuesday and has convinced them he is now rested and ready for the three Tests against England.

Asian Test Championship

It's been a long time coming, but international cricket finally returns to Pakistan today with Sri Lanka providing the opposition for what could be an exciting Test.

The Asian Test Championship final is expected to be played out on a pitch, quite different from the slow turners normally seen in these parts.

Chief groundsman Mohammad Bashir said: "The wicket will definitely help the seamers and the batsmen may face some difficulty."

Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya hopes it will create a result.

"The wicket looks hard and dry," he said. "There is a quite a lot of grass on the wicket and it should produce result."

New Zealand's tour of Pakistan

New Zealand have confirmed they will tour Pakistan later this spring to replace last year's tour which was cancelled due to security fears.

The tour had been abandoned when New Zealand were in Singapore on 11 September. They were on the point of flying to Karachi for three Tests and three one-day internationals when they pulled out.

But now, Pakistan cricket has received a timely boost.

The country's cricket board director Brigadier Munawwar Rana said: "The confirmation has just come in today. We are delighted they have agreed to tour and have accepted our security assurances.

"The itinerary has also been finalised and they will be playing two Tests immediately after the tournament in Sharjah in April."

Miscellaneous

Former fast bowler Vincent Hogg has been named as the new chief executive of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

The 49-year-old property development consultant will take over from current chief David Ellman-Brown at the beginning of April.

Hogg played for Rhodesia, which later changed its name to Zimbabwe, from 1972 and was a teammate of current England coach Duncan Fletcher.

He was a member of the squad for the 1983 World Cup in England, when he played in two group matches against Australia, and later served as convenor of selectors from 1988 to 1994.

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Middlesex are seeking clarification about how much of the summer Abdur Razzaq will miss due to international commitments with Pakistan.

The county pulled off a major coup last July by signing the 22-year-old as their overseas player for the 2002-03 seasons.

But coach John Emburey is concerned that may be absent for much of this summer with the Pakistan Cricket Board keen to keep the national side busy.

They will host a tour by New Zealand in April and May and there are also plans to take part in indoor one-day series in Australia in July, in Morocco the following month and the ICC knockout event in September.

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Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohsin Kamal is set to take over as the new coach of the Bangladesh national team.

The 38-year-old will replace Australian Trevor Chappell, who has been in charge of the team for the last 12 months.

"Everything is finalised and I will be joining them in April. I am looking forward to this assignment," said Kamal.

He has been working as a member of the Pakistan Cricket Board's bowling advisory group, but has been cleared to take up his new post.

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